


Regatta

by saturn_necklace (AndArthur)



Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-18
Updated: 2012-01-18
Packaged: 2017-10-29 18:13:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/322717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndArthur/pseuds/saturn_necklace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU, England, 2009. Nino, Jun, and Aiba are all third year Oxford rowers, Ohno and Sho are third year Cambridge rowers. This is the story of how they meet, how they mature, and of their journey towards their goal – winning the boat race.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Regatta

**Author's Note:**

> _Glossary_ :  
>  **Blue Boat:** The boat (Oxford) that competes against the Light Blue Boat (Cambridge) in the Oxford vs. Cambridge Boat Race  
>  **[The Boat race](http://www.theboatrace.org/)**  
>  **Catch:** The point, at the end of the recovery, when the blade is placed into the water for the beginning of the next stroke.   
> **Coxswain:** In addition to steering the boat, the coxswain calls out instructions and the stroke rating.   
> **Ergometers:** Indoor rowing machines  
>  **Flying Start:** Where a boat rows through the start line, as opposed to beginning to row from it. Head races begin with a flying start. The boats are lined up in order of their bow numbers. There is usually a 10 second space between each boat's start.  
>  **Goldie:** Cambridge's reserve rowing team  
>  **[Head of the River Fours](http://www.hor4s.org.uk/)**  
>  **Isis:** Oxford's reserve rowing team (also used for all Oxford crews in the Head of the River Fours)  
>  **Paddle:** This tells a crew to row with just enough pressure to move the boat. The paddle command is also used to bring a crew down from full pressure at the end of a workout piece or race.   
> **Power __:** (ie. Power ten) Coxswain call to take a certain number of power strokes. A power stroke is a stroke that musters all the strength you can give.   
> **Let it run:** Coxswain call for all rowers to stop rowing and to pause at the finish oars off the water, letting the boat glide through the water and coast to a stop.  
>  **Race pace:** A stroke rating that you can hold for the entire race.   
> **Regatta:** An organized crew race.  
>  **Rowing Tank:** A pool with a cement boat sitting in the middle, used for perfecting technique without worrying about balance or other river traffic.  
>  **Stroke rate:** How fast a stroke is being taken, in terms of strokes per minute.
> 
> [The boat race course](http://www.theboatrace.org/article/image/700/full.jpg)   
> [A coxed eights boat](http://www.wbhsrowing.co.nz/images/eight.gif)

The king of the mountain isn't a nickname Nino will be adopting this year - not unless it's in a team sense, that is - just like he never has in years before; Jun might well manage it, or Aiba maybe, but Nino himself has no chance whatsoever because _Nino_ isn't a rower, and most certainly not a _cyclist_. He might not be completely unfit or anything, but that doesn't matter because most of the other people on this blasted training camp are _super fit_ , and that leaves him and the other coxswains (gratuitously split so that there's an equal number of them in each team) pedalling behind everyone else as they just try to get up the damned mountain with no regard for time.

There are two battles going on here. The battle for king of the mountain, and the battle for coxswain of the mountain, and Nino's fully set to try as well as he can to take the second title, since it's an altogether more plausible goal. Of course, this is only the second mountain that they're taking on, and by the time they reach the last Nino will probably just be wishing for the torture to end as soon as possible, never mind titles and glory and all that crap.

For the time-being, however, Nino will show a bit of his competitive spirit - the same one that emerges every time he climbs into a boat, or picks up the Wii remote. Jun and Aiba are both way off ahead, seemingly enjoying their own race against each other whilst the other members of the boat club remain at a close enough distance to overtake, should Aiba and Jun happen to run out of steam (which is actually rather likely the way they're going).

Eventually, after four hours of cycling, they reach the end of that day's stages and desert their bikes far more hurriedly than they had the day before; with each day of cycling comes more muscle pain, particularly for the coxswains who're simply less used to this amount of physical exertion. Jun and Aiba have managed to retain their places at the top of the leader board, Jun coming in just above Aiba's spot, which will no doubt lead to another bout of their infamous rivalry in the next stage (never mind the fact that they're both on the same team).

They're taken back to the hotel they're staying in, and it takes Nino all of ten seconds after arriving in the twin room he's sharing with Aiba to flop down on his bed and announce that he thinks he might be dead by the end of this; Jun tells him he's probably being a bit over dramatic as he invades their room to flick on the kettle and make them all a well deserved cup of tea.

The Oxford University Boat Club's version of the Tour de France is an annual summer tradition - one which Nino thinks he could probably do without. Really, it's probably just an excuse to put them all through a bit more pain. So far they've completed two days out of ten, and much to Nino's horror he seems to be the only person who, within a day or so, won't still be surging with a sense of competition, the need to _win_.

He has as much competitive spirit as the rest of them when they're gliding across the surface of the water, particularly when it's with the Cambridge team on their tail (or worse, ahead of them), but given a bike and a mountain, he finds himself somewhat underwhelmed - this is so far out of Nino's comfort zone that he barely knows what to make of it, instead just letting himself be dragged along with everyone else's enthusiasm and only showing a small amount of his own.

Jun waves a steaming cup of tea in front of his face, and Nino sits up in order to take it, cradling the warm china in his hands as Jun sits on the end of the bed in the space Nino's legs have just vacated. Aiba's sprawled across his bed unmoving, too tired to wait for the blessed comfort provided by a good cup of tea (and it really is good tea, because Jun's somehow managed to work out the secret to a perfect cup – a secret he protects with his life) and Nino vaguely wonders how long it'll take for Aiba to wake up, because despite his tiredness, he's getting kind of hungry.

He and Jun sit and talk as they finish their tea (mostly about rowing and the rest of the team, because they really do have one track minds at the best of times) and then Jun goes back to his own room to shower and pass out for a while, leaving Nino to get some well needed sleep before they gather together some team-mates and venture out for dinner.

An hour or so later Nino shakes Aiba awake and they gather a group of seven for dinner, all of them pretending that their leg muscles aren't absolutely killing them as they trudge down the road to the some posh French place (or maybe it's just Nino pretending, and everyone else actually _is_ fine - it honestly wouldn't surprise him).

The next couple of days pass in a blur of pain, heat, mountains, and cycling until eventually it's their blessed rest day, when they all have to pack up and travel to the next set of mountains for some more torture. By this point Aiba's planning schemes to stop Jun from beating him in the next race, because he's still top of the leader board, thus meaning that Aiba isn't. So far Nino's heard the food poisoning plot and the tea-spiked-with-laxatives plot, both of which contained for more detail than they really should considering the fact that Aiba wasn't actually going to _carry them out_ (or so Nino’s fairly certain – Jun's never been one to keep his displeasure to himself when he doesn't want to, and Nino's pretty sure Aiba would never inflict the inevitable torture on himself if he had the choice).

Nino himself is top of the coxswain leader board, which is a semi impressive feat. It would probably be more impressive if half the coxswains weren't girls, and if Nino thought he had any sort of chance of maintaining the position, however this _is_ the case, so Nino's perfectly content with semi impressive on this occasion – it's not like he has much choice otherwise.

The rest day is over far too quickly, and then they're plunged back into the world of gruelling exercise again until finally the ten days are over and the winners can be crowned. Jun happily dons the 'King of the Mountain' shirt, as the rest of their team jump around in excitement - Aiba included, all traces of disappointment at not winning the individual race completely vanished.

"Next year," Aiba says with all the enthusiasm he can muster (which is really rather a lot, when Nino thinks about it), "I'll win next year."  
Jun raises an eyebrow "I'm sure you will, Aiba, if only because I'll have graduated by then."  
Aiba responds to that with a playful whack at Jun's shoulder, and then someone announces that it's time for celebratory beer – a suggestion which gains a response of great fervour. Nino would really like to be able to say that he can remember the rest of that evening with great clarity, and that he in no way wakes up the next morning tangled on a bed with both Jun, Aiba, and another of their team mates – Martinez – with the hangover from hell in true student-style; sadly, any attempt at denial of this situation would be an outright lie – a rather pointless one, actually, since no one would _believe_ it.

 

Nino returns home for the rest of summer, the first few days after the training camp being spent around the house complaining to his family about muscle ache and a sore arse from the bike’s saddle. It doesn't take long for his mother to start giving him chores again, though, and that's how he finds himself at the supermarket one Thursday afternoon, stocking up on groceries. He's trawling the bread aisle, trying to remember which type of bread he was meant to get (his shopping list only states 'bread' which is exceedingly unhelpful when one's mother will have rather a lot to say about it if you bring home the wrong brand or slice thickness) when he bumps into someone he vaguely knows – quite literally, because both of them were too engrossed in the bread shelves to look where they were going.

"Sorry," the person says once they're done ricocheting off each other.

Nino shakes his head, "Not your fault - well not entirely anyway. I was too busy contemplating Hovis and Kingsmill to look where I was going," he says, looking at the other person just enough for it to be considered staring as he tries to place the man, "Ohno!" he says when the penny drops, "you're on the Cambridge team, right?"

Ohno peers at him in confusion for a moment before smiling - Nino can see the exact moment that it clicks, as Ohno's eyes show that hint of recognition, "Yes, I am. And you're Oxford's legendary coxswain."

"I am." Nino agrees with a laugh. Ohno looks like he's about to say something else, but they're both forced to move their shopping trolleys to the side as a woman with two toddlers and a trolley positively brimming with food tries to batter her way past them. It's at this point that whatever Ohno was about to say is lost, and that the two of them just decide to grab any loaf of bread so that they can get out of the way.

"So, how come you're in Cambridge? I find it hard to believe that you came here just to buy bread," Ohno asks once they've gathered the rest of their respective groceries and are queuing at the one of the two active tills.

Nino chuckles quietly, eyeing the loaf of Kingsmill thin slice he'd happened to grab and hoping to god that it's the right kind, "you'd be right about that. I live here - well, my mum does, and so do I when I’m not in Oxford."

"Well, that'd explain it." Ohno nods as he begins to load his groceries onto the conveyor belt, their conversation temporarily halted again by his reaching the front of the queue.

 

"So," Nino says when they leave the supermarket, not really thinking about the fact that it's probably not the norm for people who barely know each other to end up hanging out after bumping into each other shopping, "did you drive?"

Ohno shakes his head, "I don't even have my license actually – I usually walk or cycle."

Nino's sure that some of the colour has drained from his face at the mention of cycling - he's had more than enough of that for a good long while - but he ignores it, instead pulling his keys out of his pocket and gesturing in the direction of his car. "I can give you a lift if you want - you have far more shopping there than any one person should be expected to carry any sort of great distance."

Ohno laughs and looks thoughtful for a moment before nodding, "Yeah, that'd be good. Thanks."

Nino shrugs, and unlocks it as they make their way over, "No problem."

When they reach Ohno's shared flat, Nino shuts off the ignition and looks over at Ohno contemplatively, "If you don't have anything to do, d'you want to go and get a coffee or something? If I stay at home I'll probably be forced to do all the ironing or something, so it would save me from an afternoon of hardship."

Ohno smiles, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement, "Yeah, okay then. I'll just drop these off and put the frozen stuff in the freezer."

"I'll stop off at home and leave my groceries to mum then. See you here in twenty?"

"Sounds like a plan."

 

When Nino arrives back at Ohno's on foot, precisely twenty minutes later, Ohno's already waiting outside, suitably rid of all groceries. "Costa?" he asks as Nino gets closer, and Nino nods.

"Sounds perfect."

They sit in the comfy chairs in the window with a cup of tea each, and a chocolate muffin for Ohno. "I have to let you know," Nino says as he stirs his tea slowly, his expression serious but eyes giving away a hint of humour, "I'm forbidden from talking to anyone from Cambridge about rowing – coxswain-ish secrets and all, you know?"

"I understand," Ohno says, nodding in mock seriousness, "we can't have you revealing all your tactics to me before term's even begun. We'd better talk about something else entirely, just to be sure; what are your thoughts on pyjamas?"

And that paves the way for the rest of their conversation, most of it inane, all of it amusing - amusing enough for both of them to order more cups of tea and stay until closing. Nino tells stories from the Tour de France training camp, and Ohno tells Nino about how his flatmate (another of the Cambridge rowers, Sakurai Sho, apparently) manages to get _insanely_ high marks in all his essays as well as keeping up with rowing practise, but can't even cook a microwave meal, and is the most gifted person Ohno has ever met when it comes to failing miserably at household chores. When Nino tells Ohno about life in Oxford, Ohno tells Nino about Lynton, the small seaside village in Devon that he grew up in.

The conversation is relaxed and easy, and by the time they part ways to go home, having exchanged email addresses and the like, they've both somewhat forgotten that only that morning they barely knew one another by name and face; the easiness of their friendship is only proven further when Nino's phone buzzes with an incoming message later than evening, and it turns out to be a picture of a charred piece of toast from Ohno, no doubt courtesy of the flatmate.

 

Nino returns to Oxford soon after his meeting with Ohno. Before he leaves Cambridge they see each other a few more times, and Nino even briefly meets Sho, who's on his way out of the flat just as Nino's arriving for his and Ohno's scheduled Wii sports battle. Jun seems amused by it all when Nino moves back into the student house that they share with Aiba, teasing him about fraternising with the enemy whenever the topic comes up, or whenever Nino's iPhone buzzes with another message from Ohno – the frequency with which they contact each other is astounding. It's just Nino and Jun living there for a few days, and it's noticeably quieter than usual with Aiba still back home in Abergavenny. The quiet doesn't last long, though, and Aiba's presence is much appreciated in the house from the very second he returns, his distinctive Welsh accent echoing through every room as he loudly announces his arrival, filling the strange sort of void that had appeared in place of his presence.

The three of them enjoy a week of student life free from interruptions before training starts up again, and it becomes even more ill advised than usual to let Aiba drag them and half the rest of the team out clubbing late into the night, or down to the pub where copious amounts of alcohol are also inevitable – a hangover out on the water (and on the ergs for that matter) is an experience all of them have had, and not one that any of them ever enjoy repeating.

Amongst the new faces there's some promising talent, a few of them showing blue boat potential, come March and the boat race. For those who've been here before it's easy to fall back into the routine – it barely feels like they've been away – all of them determined as ever to win the boat race again this year. The team shares the same desire to win, the same need to be on the water practising, perfecting, going _faster_. For many of them university is more about rowing than anything else, their courses necessary extras which all too often serve to get in the way; for this first bit of training that extra isn't there, and it's _brilliant_ – all of them savour these few weeks before the academic term begins.

October sets in and Nino, Jun, and Aiba are spending most of their time down at the boat house. The sun's barely risen as they arrive and change into their rowing gear before trudging over to the gym, Jun and Aiba securing themselves two ergometers next to each other as Nino sets about sorting the music; he finds them something with a decent pace, and takes a quick photo of them to send to Ohno before settling down to watch and give technical advice wherever necessary – a picture of Sho waist deep in the river Cam, holding a football is sent in reply soon after, and Nino laughs before showing it to Jun and Aiba who laugh too. The rest of the team trickles in, and before long the training session is well under way, rowers perfecting their techniques under the watchful eyes of the coaches, even the slightest flaw being brought to attention.

They spend the morning there, working up a sweat as they strive to push their limits higher, to get the perfect pace and the perfect pull of the oar. Eventually they break for lunch, Aiba and Jun shovelling down huge amounts of carbohydrates as Nino opts for a more minimal meal – he's no need for all that extra energy, after all.

The afternoon is spent out on the water, Jun, Aiba, and Nino out in a coxed pairs boat as they glide across the river. Nino can see the sweat beading on Jun's forehead from exertion as he tells them to up the pace; these are people he knows almost as well as he knows himself now, and he knows exactly how to get the best from them, how to push them that bit harder; that's probably why they always end up out there together in the smaller boats – Nino's a brilliant coxswain for all of the team, but when it's him, Jun and Aiba they positively _soar_. This is the kind of result the coaches expect from him, and Nino doesn't fail to deliver; given a few months, when the team has been slimmed down and the new members closely knitted with the old, when the team becomes a _family_ , that's when Nino will be able to make them all fly across the water. He'll spend the first couple of months watching, reading people, until he's learned their style, until he's learned they way the team members work with each other, and after that he'll know exactly what to do with them – if all goes to plan they'll be practically unstoppable.

 

Term starts up all too quickly, and Nino finds himself rushing between training and lectures again, the bike which he'd wanted to lock up and never see again after France now a blessing of the highest order. They start preparing for the 'Head of the River Fours' soon after the beginning of term, the three Isis teams are chosen fairly soon, and they set about training together. The race isn't a particularly important one, but it serves as good practise, and it raises the competitive spirit in them tenfold – it is, after all, their first meeting with the Cambridge team of the year. Nino is coxing for Isis I, with Jun as stroke, and Aiba as three, and two of the other old team members – Martinez and Webber – as bowman and two respectively.

The five of them are close friends, have known each other for a few years now, and they work well together – incredibly well. It doesn't take them long to synchronise under Nino's expert supervision, and then they're away, all errors in technique being dealt with quickly and efficiently as always. They challenge the Isis II and III teams to practise time trial races, everyone finding competition to be the best way to spur them on, make them go faster – competitive spirit is something they have in abundance. It barely takes any time for mid-November to roll around, and then they're in London, ready to go.

When they get to London it doesn't take them long to meet up with Sho and Ohno, the five of them heading to a bar in the evening. The frequent contact that Nino and Ohno have maintained over the past couple of months have inevitably led to the other three talking as well, and what had started as a casual add on Facebook for the hell of it has led to emails and texts, and good-natured mini comment wars over who's going to win the boat race this year.

As a result all five of them feel as though they've known each other for _years_ , and whilst they technically have in passing, that doesn't make it any less strange. It's hard to believe that for the most part they haven't all spoken in person before, other than the regular compulsory handshakes and the like after previous boat races.

A steady flow of drinks is maintained throughout, their conversation interspersed with joking jibes at the opposite team, and bets are placed on who's going to win. After a while Aiba suggests a darts competition, Oxford versus Cambridge, and everyone agrees - if nothing else, it's a good way to start a bit of friendly competition between them before the fours race.

All too soon, after a few more games of darts which end in an overall draw, the evening is declared over and they all head back to their respective hotel rooms ready to get an early night in preparation for the next day.

 

They start the morning with a big breakfast and an early morning jog to get the blood pumping. Nino's glad to note that everyone's in good shape - top form, in fact - so they should be able to work hard. When they head back in it's for lunch, though Nino's not sure how the rest of them can eat so much; granted, they've just been on a long jog whilst Nino's been cycling, but how the nerves aren't turning their stomachs so much that food is completely unappealing, Nino really doesn't know.

Their boat has one of the higher numbers, which means they're one of the earliest groups to start, and they're all feeling the mix of nerves and adrenaline as they take the boat down to the water and head out to their starting position. Sho and Ohno are in front of them, and Aiba grins at Sho before calling something across about the fifty pounds Sho's going to owe him after this; Sho calls something back in retaliation, and then the race is about to begin. Nino's thoughts are racing through his head, going through their tactics, praying that nothing goes wrong, that they go at the right pace - time is everything. Sho and Ohno's boat number is called, and they begin their flying start as Isis I edges forward.

"All four sit, ready to row, row!" Nino calls as their boat number is called ten seconds later, and the boat spurs into motion as the crew take the planned five short starting strokes and they start to glide across the water, building up to race pace as they approach the start line; they pass university stone and then the race begins - the clock has started.

"Keeping the stroke rate at thirty six, _catch, row!_ Catch, row!" Nino calls, hyper aware of the distance the Cambridge boat has in front of them as his crew move together, determination evident on their faces; even if Ohno and Sho are friends they have no intention of showing any mercy.

They're moving well, flying across the water as they make some distance on the Cambridge team, and Nino's still feeling confident as he falls silent and lets them all feel the boat as he concentrates on steering for a while, all of them perfectly synchronised. He studies the Isis crew for a moment, revising the race plan in his head quickly before calling, "up the stroke rate to thirty nine, let's show them what we can do," because he knows that they can take it - they're ready for this.

" _Catch, row! Catch, row!_ " he keeps his eyes on the oars, notices something. It's a small difference but it's there and it could be the cause of them losing - a second slower would be enough. "Two, you're late! _Catch, row! Catch, row!_ "

Webber corrects himself, and then they're in synch again, cutting through the water just that little bit faster than before. The race seems to pass in a blur as they approach the end, the time flying as Nino's heart rate climbs with excitement and nerves; he can keep a level head, but his heart will refuse to calm until the adrenaline wears off.

"Power ten in two! One, two!" they start their power strokes as they get closer, nearing the finish line. They're exhausted by this point, sheer determination and adrenaline are all that push them on, give them strength they never usually had.

"We're nearly there, we can do this! Come on Isis, _Catch, Row!_ " they give the last push to the finish line until finally they cross it, rowers dripping with sweat and panting for breath, yet still smiling - this is what they love.

"And let it run." They keep their blades above the water and let the boat glide, emotions a mixture of relief and anticipation - their time is yet to be announced. "Good work everyone, fantastic job. Now paddle."

It's not long until they're back on shore with the other Isis crews and the coaches, anxiously awaiting their results. The Cambridge team aren't far away; Nino can see Ohno and Sho from here, and they both look every bit as exhausted as the Isis I boys who've found themselves seats and bottles of water now that the boat and oars are safely put away. The provisional times will only be announced once the race is over, and there's still a while to go until then - long enough for the building anticipation to drive them all slightly insane; they've nothing to do now other than wait, and in some respects this part is harder than the rowing - all they can do is think about how they could've done better.

 

The three of them go back to Jun's house when it's over and let his mother serve them cups of tea and cakes as they watch X factor. Jun looks angry, and Aiba looks crestfallen - it's not an expression Aiba should ever wear because it simply doesn't _look right_. The comfort of inane Saturday night television doesn't seem to be working as it should, and Jun's scowl doesn't leave his face even after they break out the beer and Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

It probably wouldn't be annoying, Nino thinks, if they'd lost by a bigger margin or because of something going wrong. As it is they were fine, they rowed well, they were quick; they just weren't quick _enough_. The Cambridge I team beat them by a second, and Nino had heard their cheers; that had been the exact same moment that Jun had thrown his water bottle down and stormed out, all anger no doubt directed at himself, and that Aiba's face had fallen as he'd dug around for his wallet before heading over to see Sho. Nino had jogged after him to offer the mandatory congratulations to the winning team, and by the time he'd reached Ohno he felt kind of bad for his disappointment because Sho and Ohno looked so _happy_ to have won.

Aiba had put on a smile and pressed two twenty pound notes and a ten into Sho's hand as he said his congratulations, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes, and Sho had clearly noticed - he'd looked rather like he wanted to give Aiba a hug and apologise as many times as it took for Aiba to smile properly again. He hadn't, though, and Aiba had gone across to congratulate everyone else before he and Nino left and the disappointed expression appeared on his face again; not even two minutes later Nino got a message from Ohno asking about seeing them again the next day before they all went home, and another from Sho asking whether Aiba was okay.

And that brings them to now, and their customary evening of slight depression. As he sips his beer and weighs up the events of the day, Nino concludes that losing might have been a good thing - if nothing else it'll make them more determined to win the boat race than ever. Aiba nods his agreement when Nino mentions it, and his expression brightens a little; even Jun's scowl loses some of its anger, though Nino's sure Jun will be blaming their loss on himself for at least another week or so, will still be pushing his limits harder than ever for longer than that, after they get back to training on Monday.

 

They start their Sunday at Jun's, Nino and Aiba collecting Sho and Ohno on their way from the hotel. Jun's far less annoyed by the time they arrive, and Aiba's been cheerful since he woke; that's the way it always is with Aiba - forgotten in the morning if it's nothing too serious. Despite calmed feelings, it's decided that they should settle the score, so the Wii is broken out and they start a mini tournament. Jun's sister joins the Cambridge team mostly in order to maintain fairness, but partly because she's been harbouring a not-so-secret crush on Sho ever since he walked through the door. They start off with a game of Wii bowling, in which none of them hold back, and which sets the precedent for the rest of the tournament - an impressive level of competitiveness is maintained throughout, and it's almost a wonder that nothing gets broken as they become ever more determined to win, their movements overly exuberant.

After a number of games it's declared a draw, with six wins either way, and then they all go out in search of a Starbucks - not exactly a hard feat when in London, considering that there's one around every corner. They settle into the comfy chairs in the corner which Aiba had secured the moment they entered, having spotted an opportunity as another group of people were leaving, and they stay there for an hour or so. They get on ridiculously well for a group of people who're meant to have a rift down the middle, Sho and Ohno fitting so seamlessly into the group that Nino can barely believe it; there's a hint of underlying sadness throughout the day at the knowledge that they're probably not going to get to see much of each other for a good long while - there'll be the odd visit here and there on Sundays, when neither team is training, but amongst rowing, lectures and papers there isn't much time for travelling to see each other.

It's with slight reluctance that they part mid afternoon to travel back to uni again, Sho and Ohno giving all the Oxford boys slightly awkward handshakes-turned-hugs before heading off to meet up with their own team and head back to Cambridge. The journey back goes quickly, if only because everyone sleeps through it, leaving the coach unnaturally quiet for one carrying a group of usually-rowdy young men. The first thing they do upon arriving home is crawl into bed, emerging only a matter of hours later in order to call for pizza and write the papers that they really should've finished before they even left.

They haven't spent that long with the five of them around each other, yet it still feels somewhat strange with just the three of them together in the house - like Sho and Ohno are something that have been missing all along, that are just _meant_ to be there. They settle back into the normal way of things quickly, though, with training most days, copious amounts of work to complete, and all of it interspersed with messages from Sho and Ohno, sometimes interesting but mostly utterly inane.

Time passes and the weather gradually gets colder until it's December and they're in the depths of winter. Nino's broken out his thick winter coat for use on the water and training goes on as usual in the build up to the quickly approaching trial races to see who's going to make the Blue boat this year, and who will be in Isis, the reserve boat. The trial race is a straightforward one, two interestingly named crews race against each other on the Boat race course as the coaches watch and decide who should ultimately go on to race against Cambridge come the real thing.

Nino, Jun and Aiba are all in a boat together, part of the 'Cops' crew - the other crew being the 'Robbers'. The trial race finally comes around and everyone's excited, anxious to do as well as they can because that's what they're all here for - they want the thrill of it, the glory. A fair number of other Oxford students with free time turn up to watch the members of the rowing team compete against each other, and it's always a fun event.

Jun and Nino are amongst those that want it the most, purely because this is their last year as part of the team and they want to go out on a high - _need_ to go out on a high. Aiba's four year course means that he'll be there for another year still, and many of the other final year team members are planning on returning for post grad. degrees, but not Nino and Jun - this is it for them.

The race is over quickly, and everyone rows their hearts out, pushes themselves as far as they can, then a bit further; they get the result they wanted, the Cops winning by a decent margin and letting out a cheer as they cross the line having given the performance that makes it all the more likely for each of them to gain a place on the Blue Boat. The rest of the team offer their congratulations, and they offer their thanks for a good race once they're off the water, and then everyone heads to the pub for some celebration. They send Ohno and Sho a blurry picture of them all donning huge grins, and police hats at jaunty angles, later that night when they're all considerably more intoxicated, the alcohol pumping through their systems serving to amplify the euphoria that winning the trial race has made them feel.

A matter of days later an equally blurry photo of an ecstatic Sho and Ohno wearing sailor hats with the rest of their crew is sent, informing the Oxford boys that the Sailors managed to beat the Pilots in their trial race, thus increasing the likelihood that all five friends will be up against each other come March and the Boat race. That's what everyone's waiting for now, what everything's building up to. They all eat, sleep and breathe the need to get there and to win - to get their revenge for the fours race, despite the fact that the fours was never meant to be important event, not one they expected to cause such an intense need to prove themselves.

 

They continue to train, continue to spend sleepless nights finishing papers, continue to go to lectures, until suddenly it's the end of term and they're all heading off home for Christmas. Aiba leaves first, having the longest journey back to Wales, and Jun and Nino leave the day after. There's a bit of overlap in Cambridge, where Nino's home but Sho and Ohno haven't quite left yet, so the three of them spend a few days together, mostly just hanging out. One day they smuggle Nino into the boat house and take a coxed pairs boat out on the river Cam, the only ones out on the water because everyone else has the good sense to not brave the bitter cold when it's not actually training hours. Nino learns their techniques quickly, is making them fly across the water after a couple of hours in the way that only he can do.

"Bloody hell," Sho says when the cold gets too much and they head inside to seek warmth, "you really are as good as everyone says. You sure you don't want to transfer to Cambridge for the rest of the year?"

Nino laughs before cuffing him on the shoulder lightly, "You need to work on your convincing skills, Sho, they're not nearly good enough - may I suggest bribery? Always works like a charm for me."

They spend the rest of the day together, not doing much if they're completely honest. The next morning Sho pops around to say goodbye and drop off Nino's Christmas present before he heads back home to Stratford; Ohno's only around a couple more days before he's back off to Lynton, and then Nino's alone with only his family and a few old sixth form friends for company until the beginning of January.

Christmas itself is the same as ever: ridiculously huge quantities of food and alcohol; Christmas crackers with always-too-large paper hats, cheap toys and trinkets, and the worst jokes known to man; the Doctor Who Christmas special; the obligatory Christmas film; and, of course, the Christmas presents. As far as holidays go, Nino supposes it's quite ridiculous; what was once religious now more of an excuse to eat lots without feeling guilty, and to be obnoxiously cheery, but he wouldn't change it for the world - it is, after all, bloody brilliant.

And then there's New Years hot on its tail, which Nino and Aiba both head up to Jun's for, so as to watch the annual firework display over the Thames. Too frugal to pay for a hotel, as ever, Nino and Aiba take the guest rooms, and pay for the accommodation with “thank you so much, Mrs. Matsumoto”-s and with help preparing meals. The fireworks themselves are spectacular, and they all consume more alcohol than is generally advisable (which most probably serves to make the fireworks seem _even better_ ). They wake up the next morning with hangovers and vague memories of ill advised midnight kisses with some of their other team members - namely Martinez, Webber, and Wright - who they'd met up with early on, and who were equally intoxicated. It's not a new kind of occurrence in the team, what with them all being students and thus drunk on a somewhat frequent basis, particularly at celebrations where these things tend to be more likely to happen, and the blurry photos taken as evidence will no doubt be something to laugh about in France, where they're headed in a couple of days for their annual winter training camp - one of the most looked forward events of the rowing year, second only to the Boat Race.

 

The rest of the team arrives in London the day before they set off, and they spend the evening trawling the clubs, barely falling into bed afterwards before they’re dragged out again to catch the plane to France. They sleep through the entire flight, and then sleep a bit more on the coach journey to the hotel, where they fall into bed until dinner time; by this point their hangovers are well and truly slept off, and the meal involves a lot of noise, all of them overexcited about the week to come. Nino receives a message from Ohno that evening, with a picture of Sho and a few of the other Cambridge rowers swimming in the lake that they’ve gone to for their own training camp, somewhere in Spain; he shows it to everyone else, and they appear to take that as their cue to run outside and into their own lake, shouting and cheering as a full on splash war breaks out.

Temple Sur Lot is a picturesque place, perfect for winter training; this is only the second time they’ve been here, but after a couple of days out on the water it feels like they’ve been here for years, rowing in the day and exploring the small town whenever they have free time. Nino feels a slight pang of sadness when he realises that this is the last time he’ll be doing this – he can always come on holiday here, but it’ll never be the same without the whole team and their endless enthusiasm around him, without all of them striving towards the same goal together.

The days pass by faster than they have any right to, just like they always do on holidays, and soon enough they only have three days left. The day starts out just as all the others had, the team eating breakfast together and making more noise than anyone should be able to in the early morning. When they get onto the water it’s better than the day before – they’re making progress, just as they should. They break for lunch and everyone returns to the water in the afternoon, everyone happy to be back in the boat, pushing themselves ever harder in order to give that little bit more power, go that little bit faster; “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” they always say.

Then the unimaginable happens.

They’re going well, picking up pace as they move in synch, and then someone stops, their oar dropping into the water, throwing the balance and pace off in one quick moment.

“Hold water!” Nino shouts as he sees the oar catch and not get pulled back, calling the team to a stop, “Six, what’s happened?” he asks, hoping to God that it’s something easily sorted, like a broken seat. It isn’t, and that much becomes clear when he doesn’t get an answer. “Aiba,” Nino says, his voice calm but his head most decidedly not, “what’s happened?”

“My back,” Aiba eventually replies through clenched teeth as he tries not to show his pain, “I can keep going, it’ll be fine in a moment.”

Nino sees Jun’s face fall as Aiba admits injury, his eyes closing in a wince, almost as though the admission has caused him physical pain – this could be enough to stop Aiba's blue boat chances for this year in their tracks, if it’s serious enough. “No you can’t,” Jun says, his voice not showing any trace of the disappointment evident on his face, “we’re not going to let you make it worse.”

Everything’s quiet for a moment, bar the sound of the coach’s voice carrying across the water, wanting to know why they’ve stopped. “We’re coming back in!” Nino calls back, “Everyone but Six and Five, paddle.” No one needs to see Aiba’s face to know that he’s utterly distraught.

 

Aiba's injury somewhat kills the good mood that's been present ever since their arrival in Temple Sur Lot; Aiba's always been the mood-maker, and with him holed up in his hotel room none of them can completely enjoy themselves. They've never seen Aiba like this before, barely mustering the energy to leave his room for meals, let alone coming out to watch the others training – it's as though he's had a complete personality transplant. He smiles for everyone's benefit when they invade the room with beer and jaffa cakes, but none of the smiles quite reach his eyes, there's none of the usual sparkle behind them; it's affecting the team's rowing as well – without Aiba there they just aren't as good, aren't as quick. They're still determined, still striving for perfection, but there's something lacking, and it's blindingly obvious to everyone.

They return to England in lower spirits than they had left with, and things go on like this for days, Nino and Jun going to training whilst Aiba writes essays with more care than he ever has before, and, once he's done, just opting to lie on his bed and stare at the ceiling as his phone goes off beside him only to remain utterly ignored.

It's another day before Jun bursts in, a stern look on his face and Sho and Ohno in tow. “You didn't answer any of their calls,” he says, an eyebrow raised in a clear display of disapproval, “or tell them what happened. They had to ask me and Nino instead; they were worried enough to come down here on their day off, and quite frankly we all share that sentiment. Stay in bed, fine, you need to give yourself a chance to heal, but don't shut us all out. We worry, Aiba.” With that Jun turns on his heel, pushing past Sho and Ohno in order to head back downstairs, leaving the three of them in a slightly stunned silence.  
“Sorry I didn't answer your calls,” Aiba says eventually, the expression on his face clearly guilty, “if I spoke to you I'd have had to tell you, but if I told you it would've felt too real.”  
“You're an idiot,” Sho says, a small smile of relief playing at the corners of his lips as he and Ohno enter the room properly and pull over two of the chairs which occupy Aiba's room.

Things get better after that, the mood lifting as Aiba makes his way to training sometimes, watching and offering advice, as well as lifting the mood in the way that only he can. It comes as a huge relief when Aiba's doctor gives him the all clear to row again, and his first day back on the water is celebrated by the whole team with a trip to the pub after training (and consequently with numerous beers).

 

The date of the boat race quickly approaches, once Aiba's settled back into the routine, April approaching far quicker than it really has any right to. The Blue Boat crew is chosen, and Nino, Jun and Aiba are all ecstatic to be on it, training with the other six crew members as Isis do their own preparation. Training is split between the ergometers, the water, and, when they really want to fine tune their rowing skills, the rowing tank.

Their interaction with Sho and Ohno decreases slightly as they become ever busier, but they still all keep in contact, sharing anecdotes from the day's training when they get the chance. Everyone's working themselves as hard as they can, venturing as near to the point of exhaustion as they dare to, until finally it's April first – two days before the boat race.

They're all nervous about the upcoming race, but this doesn't stop the usual April Fool's Day pranks, doesn't raise the maturity level of the tricks in the slightest, as Jun fully well notes when he pushes open the bathroom door that morning only for a water balloon to explode on his head, the sound of Aiba and Nino's laughs all to clear from Aiba's doorway just down the corridor. His mouth is set in a grim smile as ice cold water trickles down his back, along his spine, but he wills himself to just think of what he still has planned for the two of them that morning – his expression morphs into something rather more like an evil smirk at that, and Nino and Aiba scarper back into their own respective bedrooms as Jun moves to take his morning shower, peeling off his now-soaked Oxford hoodie and hanging it over the towel rail to dry.

The day involves far more messaging between Sho, Ohno, Jun, Aiba, and Nino than any other has so far, the frequency of pranks over in Cambridge apparently equal to that in Oxford, where everyone's lost track of what trick was pulled on which team members. By the end of afternoon training (the team having decided against the no-tricks after lunchtime rule) the pranks have been reduced to petty taps on people's shoulders to make them look the wrong way, and statements like “Oh look, 'gullible's written on the ceiling” made with the hope that someone will look (even though after the first couple of times the chance of anyone falling for it becomes significantly slimmer).

Like all good things, April Fool's Day comes to an end, both the Oxford and Cambridge teams finishing it by packing for London, where they'll be headed the next afternoon. The morning of the second is spent training and getting the boats and equipment loaded onto the buses, and then the team piles in as well, ready for the hour long journey to London. Jun, Aiba, and Nino don't see Sho and Ohno that evening, instead opting for an early night in preparation for the next day. It's almost a surprise to them all that they manage to sleep so well, even with their stomach's churning with nerves at the need to prove themselves one last time.

In the morning they head down to the dining room for breakfast, Aiba and Jun filling rather enormous bowls with porridge whilst Nino opts for a rather more minimal choice of toast and Rice Krispies.

“Breakfast of champions,” Aiba says with a grin as he shovels as spoonful of porridge into his mouth, the gentle 'snap, crackle, pop' of Nino's cereal sounding gently in the background. Some of their other team mates join their table soon after, and the room is quickly filled with the raucous conversation of somewhat over-excited young men.

They all head back up to their rooms to get ready and grab their kit before heading over to the boathouses at Putney to get prepared for the race. When they arrive the Cambridge team is already in their boathouse, many of them pacing nervously, as the Oxford team will no doubt start do do soon. There are television crews setting up around the place when Sho and Ohno emerge from the Cambridge boathouse to wish Jun, Nino, and Aiba good luck and to assure them that they have no intention of showing any mercy. The five of them sit outside together exchanging good natured banter for ten minutes or so before shaking hands and heading back to their respective teams to find some way of keeping themselves occupied – most likely doing some stretches for the rowers, whilst Nino goes over the race plan in his head, making sure he has everything memorised – until lunch.

The reserve teams – Goldie for Cambridge, and Isis for Oxford – race first, in the afternoon when their lunch has had a chance to settle. The rest of the teams watch nervously as the reserve crews battle it out on the river in a close race, which has everyone on the edge of their seats despite it not being the main event of the day. The Isis crew return to the boathouse disappointed – their best efforts just hadn't been enough this year – and their loss is enough to up the nerves for the Blue Boat crew a little further before they head out to the water to warm up. Cambridge's light Blue Boat crew head out at much the same time, leaving Goldie to celebrate in the boathouse as they make their final preparations for the race they've all been anticipating since the start of term.

The knowledge that their warm up is being broadcast to televisions all across the country is slightly daunting, but it's probably a good thing really – it gets them used to the cameras before the start of the race, if nothing else. The time before the race seems to go both at the speed of light and at a snail's pace all at once; everyone's been anticipating the race for so long that they simultaneously want to get started already, and to not start so that they don't potentially have to face not winning, as one team will undoubtedly have to do in the end. The crews are called over to the start line, and they make their way under Putney bridge and towards the first University stone, which marks the start line, where they pull up side by side, barely acknowledging each other now, for need of total concentration on the race.

Nino and the Cambridge coxswain both raise their hands when their respective crews are ready to row, and it's not long before they're off, the race they've been waiting for started. Both teams get off to a good start, but Cambridge's is slightly better, as Oxford put their plan of five quick starting strokes leading into a strong set of ten power strokes, then another twenty to get them up to race pace into practise. This doesn't put them off too much – they know all too well that at this point they still have every opportunity to pull things back in their favour.

Cambridge remains in the lead as they approach the black buoy – one of the landmarks on the course, which marks the end of the Putney boathouses – but Oxford's pace is slightly faster; they're gradually gaining on them. Nino can see Craven cottage, the Fulham FC ground, in the distance and as they approach he begins to steer them wide, avoiding the slack water that he knows is on the inner side of the river; he knows this course like the back of his hand – it's his job to know it, to know exactly what to do on the water.

By the time they reach the mile marker Oxford are approaching strong, drawing the teams almost level as they put all the effort they can spare into every stroke of the blade. Nino's mind is working overdrive with tactics, with the decision of whether to alter the plan he'd entered the boat with, to speed up their race pace – from the way the team is rowing today he thinks they can manage it, that they're ready for this.

“We're going well, Oxford! Upping race pace to forty in two! One, Two! _Catch, row! Catch, row!_ ”

They glide over Crabtree reach, finally pulling into the lead as they pass the Harrods Depositary and head for Hammersmith Bridge. Nino can hardly hear the cheers of encouragement from the crowds over the sound of his own heart beating hard with the adrenaline of it all, he can't stop a grin as they manage to overtake. “Brilliant, Oxford! We've overtaken, hold this pace.”

He steers the boat carefully as they approach the bridge – barely even registering the fact that Ohno, as bow man, is level with him now – aiming for the second lamp post from the left, which marks the fastest line of the river, the line both crews want. Cambridge's cox will have to make a decision now: give up on the fastest line and try to overtake, or fall behind and move in Oxford's slipstream – it's the decision Nino didn't want to have to make. They opt for attempting to overtake, upping their race pace slightly in hopes of pulling back a little closer. Oxford have the advantage though and continue to gain distance under Hammersmith bridge as they reach the turn in the river, heading towards the Chiswick Eyot. Nino can see the sheer concentration on Jun's face as he rows, the sweat trickling down the side of his face from exertion, the determined set of his features and the glint of euphoria in his eyes, and that's all Nino needs to see to know that they're feeling this as much as he is.

They're gaining ever more distance as they make for the Chiswick Eyot, and they know that this is good – this is where they needed to be. The only thoughts in their minds now are of maintaining the pace, of giving all that they can, of _winning_. They're so perfectly together in their movements as they push hard past the Eyot, and when they pass the Chiswick steps they're two seconds ahead of Cambridge. _'We can do this,'_ Nino thinks, _'we can win'_.

They take advantage of their lead and pull away further, the cheering of the crowds at the Bandstand mere background noise as they find themselves two lengths ahead of Cambridge. Nino's shouting words of encouragement whenever he feels it necessary, letting his crew know that today they're _amazing_ – their loss at the fours race a few months is utterly forgotten now, just not mattering when they're so close to victory.

They pass through the centre arch of Barnes Bridge with Cambridge beginning to gain on them again, but Nino doesn't think they'll manage it – not now, not this close to the end, with the Oxford team better than they've ever been; they thrive on the pressure, on the competition – it makes them row harder, move faster, row _better_.

They round the last bend and the smell from the Stag Brewery hits them as they enter the final stage of the race; it tells the rowers that they're close, there's not far to go now. The finish line comes into sight, and Cambridge is still pulling up closer – the race could be a closer one than Nino anticipated when they were on the Chiswick reach.

“Power ten in two! One, two! _Catch, row! Catch, row!_ ”

The crew pours the last of their energy into each of these strokes, until finally they reach the second university stone, which marks the end, and the realisation that they've won hits them; the euphoria carries them for a few more strokes before they let the boat glide under Chiswick bridge, each crew member whooping with joy before the fatigue hits their bodies and they focus on their breathing rates, the grins still wide on their faces.

The celebrations properly begin once they're back on shore with the rest of the Oxford team, the mood around them all unbreakable at this moment in time, as they head over to collect their trophy. Some of the crew members are dragged away for interviews with television stations before they can finally get back into their boathouse to change and break out the next bottles of champagne, which, as always, had been brought as an optimistic gesture.

Their celebrations last long into the night, the team moving from club to club once they leave the boathouse, having seen Sho and Ohno and accepting congratulations before assuring them that it certainly hadn't been an easy race. They get gradually more drunk as time progresses, before they eventually stumble into Jun's house in the early hours of the morning and fall into bed, the feeling of success still thrumming through them.

 

Things slow down back in Oxford once the race is over, but not by much. Training is still frequent, but it's slightly less demanding as they head into the summer term, as are the various regattas that they enter. Exam preparation becomes their main focus now that the boat race is over, and they all throw themselves into their work, any free time spent holed up in their rooms revising until they can't take it any more and have to settle in front of the television for some mindless entertainment before they get back to their studying.

When exams are finally over they all feel a strange mixture of relief and sadness; everything’s going to change now – Aiba’s the only one not graduating this year, and the rest of them will all be going their separate ways. This summer will be the last time they’re all together with no other commitments to worry about, and they intend to use the time well, all five of them going on holiday together before they move on to the next stage in their lives.

Rather than staying in England they fly to Spain for their holiday, to Mequinenza where the Oxford team have had their training camps in the past. It’s a small, sleepy place best known for its fishing rather than any sort of busy nightlife (of which there is none to be seen), but they’re happy to stay there for a week, taking a coxed four boat out onto the water some days, and driving to the nearest city, Lleida, or the beach on others.

The weather is beautiful, what with it being summer, and the feeling of the sun on the backs of their necks as they glide across the water in perfect synchronisation is bliss. One day Ohno and Sho mention something about a rematch for the boat race, so they take out pairs boats for a sprint race, a miniature mock up of the real thing. Both teams demand a rematch every time they lose until they cross their devised finish line neck and neck and decide to call it a draw, all of them rowing back into shore exhausted but happy.

The holiday lasts the perfect amount of time – long enough to settle in, but not so long that they start to wish they were home. When they say their goodbyes and head home to their families for the rest of summer, visiting each other and meeting in London every once in a while. There are a few weeks in which none of them have anything to do, but then one by one they have their graduation ceremonies and ultimately begin to work; Nino’s the first to start his new job in London as a composer for television and film – he’s good, and the music he had composed at university had been more than enough to gain him shining recommendations.

Sho’s next, moving in with Nino when he joins the bottom of the food chain at a large firm in London, ready to work his way up the ladder. Jun remains in Oxford, continuing to live in the house with Aiba – and another Oxford rower who’s just moved into his final year – as he starts the intensive year long Acting course at the Oxford School of Drama, which he’d gained a place for near the beginning of his final year at Oxford. Ohno’s the only one who moves far away, back to Lynton to work in his mother’s bakery until he decides what it is he wants to do; really, the other four think he’s probably already found it in art – he’s been painting and photographing Lynton and the surrounding area for as long as he can remember, his skills gradually improving from the finger paintings in primary colours of his childhood, to the huge canvases covered with bold angles and striking colours of today.

Only Ohno visits less frequently now, with the journey from Devon taking so long, but the others still see each other just as often, if not more; if they’re being truthful, the combination of lectures, assignments, and training had kept Nino and Sho busier than they are now. They settle into the new pace of life more easily than any of them had expected, falling into new routines quickly as they get used to the new way of life. It’s different to life at Cambridge and Oxford, and though they still all row, it’s not as big a part of Sho, Ohno, Nino, and Jun’s lives anymore; it’s not the same, but it’s good in a different kind of way, all of them starting to pursue the dreams they’d had aside from rowing.

It would be a lie, though, if they said they’d moved on completely from rowing; with Aiba still at Oxford they’re all still living slightly in the past year, so it’s no surprise when they show up at all Aiba’s races to cheer him on, or even when their winter holiday in Temple Sur Lot happens to coincide with the Oxford winter training camp.

Out of all of them Aiba is the only one to move on to rowing professionally after university, his skills earning him a place in the London Rowing Club and the Great Britain team, once he’s graduated. The routine shifts again at this point, but their friendship remains constant, even when Jun gets his first decisive role in a television show, anchoring him firmly in the industry. They all progress in their respective careers, Sho gradually climbing the ranks through various promotions, Nino getting commissioned for the soundtracks of increasing numbers of television shows and movies, and Ohno getting his art into some of the local galleries. Soon enough all five of them are living in London, as Ohno’s art starts to garner more interest, and they’re all living close to each other for the first time. They’ve all matured somewhat since their time at university, but they’re essentially the same group of friends, interacting just as they always have.

Life goes on, and whilst various things in their lives change, they always remain constants, always there, always the same. It's reassuring for them all to know that they have each other there when they need it, despite all of them being in such different career paths now, despite some of them being unlikely candidates for friendship with each other.

It’s kind of incredible really, Nino thinks, to remember that a friendship this strong started amidst the loaves of bread at a supermarket in Cambridge. It's them, though, so despite the mundane nature of it it just seems _right_. Sometimes Aiba jokes that it's the Kingsmill thin slice that brought them all together, that it's their 'bread of destiny' or something. It's a ridiculous idea, one never meant to be taken seriously, but sometimes – mostly when he's impressively drunk – Nino wonders if the notion might even be true. Even if it isn't, and 'bread of destiny' is as fake an idea as it sounds, their friendship is perfectly real, set to remain as long as they want it to.

Maybe the bread isn't destiny, but their friendship might be.


End file.
